Vaporizer for internal-combustion engines



Dec. 14 1926.

M. B. WHEELOCK VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 1,

Patented Dec. 14, i926.

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Tv'lQELVIN' LB. "QR HEELOCK, OF CLEVELAHD, OHIQ, ASSEGZ-NOIR, O3?GEE-HALF TO ARTHUR A.

' WHEELOCK, U33 CLEVELAND, 01*110.

VAPOBIZER FUR INTERNAL-CLIMBUSTEOIT ENGINES.

Application filed July 1,

This invention relates to an attachment for internal combustion engines,which is designed to increase the eiliciency of such engines and toeconomize in the consumption of fuel, by elfecting a substantiallycomplete vaporization of the fuel prior to its entry into the enginecylinders.

A further object is to facilitate. the starting of a cold engine byproviding means for applying heat to a small body of liquid fuelretained between the carburetor and the fuel inlet of the engine tosupply completely vaporized fuel to the cylinders in starting.

A further object is to provide an attachment capable of effecting theresults abovementioned, which can be. manufactured at small cost andwhich is adapted to be at tached to the engine without modifying any ofthe structural parts thereof.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said tocomprise the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the appended claimsto gether with such variations and modifications thereof as will beapparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accom panying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, showing the at tachment secured in place between the carburetorand the inlet manifold of an engine; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of theattachment, a portion of the bottom of the chamber be-- ing broken awayand shown in section; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; andFig. 4 is a section on the line 4-l of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a port-ion of the inlet manifoldof an internal combustion engine is shown in Fig. 1 and designated bythe numeral 1. Fig. 1 also shows a carburetor 2, such as is ordinarilyprovided for supplying the fuel mixture to the engine. lhe carburetorhas an outlet portion provided with attached flanges 3 adapted to besecured to the attaching flanges 4 of the inlet manifold. The attachmentembodying the present invention is designed to be secured between theattaching flanges 3, of the carburetor 2, and the at taching flanges 4;of the inlet manifold 1,

1925. Serial No. 40,826.

no change in any of the structural parts of the engine being required.

The attachment consists of a tubular body portion 5 and top and bottomclosure members 6 and 7 which, are detachably secured to the upper andlower ends of the body portion 5. The top closure member 6 has anintegral upstanding flange 8, which has a marginal outline correspondingto that of the flanges 3 and 4: and which is adapted to be boltedbetween the attaching flanges 3 and 4 of the carburetor and manifold.The opposite faces of the flange 8, which are engaged between theflanges 3 and 4, are fiat, forming a fluid tight joint with the saidflanges when bolted between them. The opposite faces of the flange 8 areprovided with circular depressions 9 and 10, the diamet-ers of whichcorrespond to the internal diameters of the carburetor outlet andmanitold inlet openings and, between the two depressions, the flange 8is formed with an imperforate web 11 which cuts off the flow from thecarburetor andthe inlet manifold. Passages 12 and 13 extend from theinner side of the cover plate 6 to the depressions 9 and 10 so that thegaseous mixture from the carburetor is caused to flow into the liquidcollecting and vaporizing chamber formed by the tubular body 5 andclosure plates 6 and 7 and the gaseous mixture which isolelivered intothe engine cylinders is drawn into the inlet manifold from said chamberthrough the passage 13. The vaporizing chamber also forms an expansionand mixing chamber between the relatively restricted passages 12 and 13in which there is additional vaporization of the liquid contained in thefuel mixture and in which the larger particles of liquid areprecipitated and collected in the bottom of the chamber.

At thebottom of the auxiliary vaporizing chamber, there is provided aclosed chamber adapted to house a heating device, this chamber beingformed by a cup-shaped stamping let which fits open side down,wit-hinthe lower portion of the tubular body 5 and has out-turned flanges 15which are secured between the bottom plate 7 and the lower end of thetubular body 5. The stamping 1a is lined on its under side with a sheetof asbestos or other suitable heat-resisting material 16 and anelectrical heating coil 17 is mounted in the space between the stamping1% and bottom plate 7. The heating coil 17 is connected with a suitablesource of cur rent which is preferably controlled by a switch 18.

In the operation of the engine, a liquid fuel is mixed with the air inthe carburetor 2 and this mixture passes through the passage 12, downinto the auxiliary vaporizing chamber. In this chamber a portion of theliquid contained in the fuel mixture collects upon the bottom plate 1%,which is heated by the coil 17, current being supplied to the coil 17during the operation of the engine. The liquid lying upon the heatedplate 14 is rapidly vaporized and this vapor passes with the mixtureinto the manifold l. The liquid collecting and vaporizing chamber servesto collect liquid particles carried along with the fuel mixture and tosupply to the fuel mixture fuel in the form of vapor arising fromthe-heated body liquid on the plate l l. Thus the fuel delivered to theengine is in a state of substantially complete vaporization so that amaximum amount of power is obtained from a minimum amount of fuel. Thefuel collecting and vaporizing attachment also provides means forfacilitating the starting of a cold engine. When the engineis stopped, asmall quantity of liquid fuel will remain in the vaporizing chamber andby operating the switch 18, to supply current to the heating coil l7, ashort time before the engine is started, the shallow body of fuel uponthe plate 14; will be quickly heated and vaporized to such an extentthat there is an adequate supply of completely vaporized fuel ready tobe drawn into the engine cylinders immediately upon starting the engine.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A vaporizer attachment for internal combustion engines comprising achamber having a tubular body and upper and lower end walls, said upperend wall having a flange adapted to be secured between sections of aconduit extending from the carburetor to the inlet manifold of anengine, said flange being of a size to completely out off the flowbetween said sections, there being separate passages formed in theflange and leading from the interior of the chamber to opposite faces ofsaid flange whereby all of the fuel mixture is caused to flow into thechamber from thecarburetor and from the chamber to the inlet manifold.

2. A combustion engines comprising a chamber having a tubular body andupper and lower vaporizer attachment for internal I end walls,said'upper end wall having a flange adapted to be secured betweensections of a conduit extending from the carburetor to the inletmanifold of an engine, said flange being of a size to completely cut oilthe flow between said sections, said upper end member having separatepassages lead ing from the interior of the chamber to opposite faces ofsaid flange whereby the fuel mixture may flow into the chamber from thecarburetor and from the chamber to the inlet manifold, and means forheating the low-er end wall.

A, vaporizer attachment for internal combustion engines con'iprising achamber having a tubular body and upper and lower end walls, said upperend wall having a flange adapted to be secured between sections of aconduit extending from the carburetor to the inlet manifold of anengine, said flange being of a size to completely out off the flowbetween said sections, said upper end member having separate passagesleading from the interior of the chamber to opposits faces of saidflange whereby the fuel mixture may flow into the chamber from thecarburetor and from the chamber to the inlet manifold, and means forheating the lower end wall, said lower end wall being hollow and havingan electrical heating element therein.

4-. A vaporizer attachment for internal combustion enginescomprising achamber having a tubular body and end walls detachably secured to theupper and lower ends thereof, said upper wall having an integral flangeadapted to be secured between sections of the conduit extending from thecarburetor to the inlet manifold of an engine, salt flange having athickened marginal portion adapted to fit between the attaching flangesof said sections and depressions in opposite faces within said marginalportions, said flange having a continuous imperforate web within saidmarginal portion, said upper end wall having separate passages leadingfrom the interior of the chamber to said depressions, said lower endwall comprising a cupshaped stamping adapted to fit open side downwithin the lower end of the tubular body and a cover plate secured tothe lower end of the body, said stamping and cover plate forming aclosed heating chamber, and

an electrical heating element in said heating chamber. 7

In testimony whereof, l hereunto allix my signature.

MELVIN l3. WHEEILOGK. V

